‘The Bobs’ Facilitate PA Lottery Privatization Deal

(HARRISBURG) – As he found himself repeatedly barraged with questions over the weekend about plans to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery, Gov. Tom Corbett referred all of them to Bob Porter and Bob Slydell, the consultants he hired to handle the deal.

“Not right now. I’m kind of busy,” Corbett told a crowd of inquisitive reporters at the state Capitol. “In fact, I’m going to have to ask you to go ahead and come back another time. I’ve got a meeting with the Bobs in a couple of minutes.”

Slydell and Porter are known for shepherding the software and technology firm Initech to greatness. Their effort was documented in the movie Office Space.

The Bobs declined to say what changes the lottery privatization deal could bring. “I will say, however, that we will most likely be implementing changes to the cover sheets currently used on the lottery’s TPS reports,” Porter said.

The Bobs said the decision to announce the lottery privatization deal on a Friday – 23 minutes after most lottery employees had left the office for the week – was intentional. “Studies have statistically shown that there’s less chance of an incident if you do it at the end of the week,” Slydell said.

Employees — namely the union that represents many of those who could be laid off — were not impressed.

“We want to keep dealing with the goddamn customers,” said David Fillman, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 13, which represents some lottery workers. “We have people skills. Can’t you understand that? What the hell is wrong with you people?”

Corbett said he stands by his plan. “With every decision you make, you must ask yourself: Is this good for the company?”